# Backstory vs TheBeacn

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TheBeacn at none against Backstory's 10. Backstory's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backstory sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. TheBeacn asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backstory ships an update every 3 months, TheBeacn every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backstory | TheBeacn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backstory/id521967972/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Unlikely Films, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/521967975) | [Solaos, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631970385) |

## What reviewers say

### Backstory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backstory/id521967972)

Explore the art and business of storytelling with in-depth interviews and full-length scripts. Discover innovative storytellers and gain insights into their creative processes. Access exclusive content through a digital subscription.

**Highlights:** In-depth interviews with storytellers, Full-length scripts, Coverage of storytelling art and business, Digital subscription, Bi-monthly issues

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Issue 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Backstory Issue 3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Backstory Issue 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 6 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 7 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 9 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 12 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Backstory Issue 21 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 In-depth interviews with creatives
- 💡 Access to scripts is invaluable
- 👍 Great resource for filmmakers/writers
- 👍 High-quality content and journalism
- 👍 Well-written and informative articles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Download issues and server problems
- 🐛 Slow download speeds
- 🐛 Pixelated text on non-Retina displays
- 🐛 Large file sizes
- 🐛 Lack of background downloading

**Reported bugs**

- Download stalls and server connection errors
- App cannot connect to server
- Text pixelated on non-Retina displays
- Issues with Retina display support (older reviews)
- Large file sizes impacting storage

**Requested features**

- Issue synopses
- Retina display optimization (addressed in later reviews)
- Background downloading


### TheBeacn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebeacn-streaming-guide/id6447943114)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backstory free?

Backstory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TheBeacn free?

TheBeacn is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Backstory or TheBeacn have ads?

TheBeacn shows ads; Backstory does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backstory or TheBeacn?

Backstory ships an update every 3 months, and TheBeacn every 2 months. Most recently, Backstory was updated on October 23, 2026 and TheBeacn on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*